I recently found myself caught in this contradiction while driving to the Wanderllust Festival for ten days of yoga bliss in Squaw Valley, Northern California. We left a day early in an attempt to reduce potential stressors– two tweens and an eighteen-month-old baby were sure to provide enough of that. In spite of our efforts, however, a drive that map-quested at 11.5 hours and started out as a conscious act of tranquility ended 38 blood-boiling hours later.
July 23rd is coming up fast- have you been practicing your dance moves in anticipation of Yoga Union’s first ever Yoga Groove?
July brings us a new pose of the month- Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, or, Bridge Pose (setu = dam, dike or bridge, bandha = lock). This is a great pose for yogis in all stages of practice, and the benefits are extensive. The pose can alleviate stress, improve digestion and rejuvenate tired legs.
Happy 4th of July weekend fellow Yogis! Do you have plans to BBQ, enjoy the sunshine or watch the fireworks? In case you’re still wondering what to do with all this nice weather, here are some holiday happenings in the Portland area:
Chris has been practicing yoga for the past six years and has recently begun teaching in Portland, Oregon. He has been listening to music since Poison overtook his heart at age 12. Yoga and music, yoga and music, yoga and music! Jai!
Have you had a chance to check out the statue, or “Murti”, in the front of the bamboo room at Yoga Union? Perhaps you’re like me and you’ve used it as your focal point during a difficult balance sequence but don’t know much about it. In order to appreciate more than just the beauty of the murti itself, I asked Todd to answer a few questions about the dancing deity he chose for his studio.
Summer in Portland is… unbeatable. When the sun comes out, the streets fill with smiles, exposed flesh and the smell of backyard BBQs. An open patio seat is hard to find and bodies lay strewn about in parks- victims of the Vitamin D assault. We even seem to forget the 8 months of incessant rain that only just stopped yesterday. It’s on these glorious days that it can sometimes be a challenge to take our bodies out of the sun and into the studio. So instead of compromising one for the other, why not take your practice outside? Yoga is, after all, about unity. When it’s practiced in nature, your connection to the universe may feel more readily available and your sense of awareness will have room to grow and evolve.
If you frequent the Yoga Union studio, then there’s a fair chance you’ve passed by a large van bearing the name “Flying Fish Co.” on the corner of 50th and Hawthorne. But have you stopped to peek inside and see what that van is all about, and who’s actually driving that thing around Portland?
Are you tired of schlepping your yoga clothes all over town in your purse? Does your mat fall out of your backback while you’re cruising down Burnside on your bike? Do you wear the same t-shirt to class, regardless of if it made it in the wash or not? Have you neglected to treat yourself to…
How old were you when you began your yoga practice? Do you ever wish you had found yoga at an earlier age? Many parents in cities across the country are encouraging their children to explore yoga and its teachings earlier, and classes taught for kids are becoming increasingly more popular.
The pose of the month for May happens to be one of our very favorites, Ardha Chandrasana, commonly known as Half Moon. As many of you know, the moon often plays a significant role in the various practices of yoga and commonly represents one of the two polar energies of the body. Try channeling your inner lunar spirit as you practice the pose!
A special congratulations are in order today! A few weeks ago our very own Natalie Gildersleeve started working on a project. Her goal was to tell others what being “Open to Grace” meant to her as an instructor.
Dear Friends, Like me, you may be concerned about the possibility of nuclear radiation reaching us on the west coast. A recent news item indicates that such fallout may reach us as early as tomorrow, Friday, 18 March.
The Dahn Yoga & Health Centers just released a silly video with instructions for beating your next hangover.
1. Initiate your asana with Opening to Grace, an intentional approach of softness. In the first moment of your pose, align your heart’s intention with your spirit and your physical being. Soften your whole being with humility. You can begin with any asana.
“…Yoga is less about showy acrobatic poses and more about the internal awareness cultivated by spending time on the mat.”
Ladies, do you need new yoga shorts or a new skirt? Maybe your old tank top is worn and tired? Check out their collection of yoga products geared for women and get ready for spring with a new tank top. Gentlemen, have you been wearing an old pair of sweats or track pants and been curious what it would be like to have an outfit that was specially designed for doing yoga? Hop on over to their online shop and find a whole range of cool products that do have some stretch, but not when it comes to your wallet.
On Wednesday, in Amy’s Prana Vinyasa class, she talked about how the New Year has started and how we each have been blessed with a clean slate to work from as 2011 begins. She asked us to take the time in yoga class to plant seeds that were meant to represent aspects of our life that would grow throughout the year. As we would move from pose to pose, she would instruct us to plant seeds, with our palms in downward dog, or with our knees and toes in child’s pose. With great skill she lead us through a seamless Prana Vinyasa class, gently correcting postures, her calm voice instructing our movements and our thoughts.
Sianna Sherman is an internationally recognized certified Anusara Yoga teacher. In 2008 she was chosen by Yoga Journal as one of 21 talented young teachers who are shaping the future of yoga. Sianna playfully weaves alignment, therapeutics, and creative sequencing with stories, poetry, and Tantric philosophy that embraces the fullness of life. She has a special devotion to Collaboration, Community and Collectively Conscious Gatherings. She bows to all her teachers on this path of Grace, especially to John Friend, Paul Muller-Ortega, and Douglas Brooks.
www.opentograce.com
The Holiday season is upon us, it’s a time where the feeling of giving overwhelms us, a time when people are encouraged to give to the needy and the less fortunate. In honor of the spirit of giving, we are having a very special donation only Vinyasa Yoga Class.